Only DM duration independently tied to microvascular events

(HealthDay)—In patients with type 2 diabetes, age or age at diabetes diagnosis and diabetes duration are independently associated with macrovascular events and death, but only duration of disease is independently associated with microvascular events, according to a study published online Sept. 17 in Diabetologia.

Sophia Zoungas, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., from the University of Sydney, and colleagues analyzed data from 11,140 patients (mean age, 65.8 years) with type 2 diabetes randomly allocated to intensive or standard glucose control. Patients were participants in the Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron Modified Release Controlled Evaluation (ADVANCE) trial.

The researchers found that the mean age at diagnosis was 57.8 years and mean diabetes duration was 7.9 years. There was an association between diabetes duration and the risk of macrovascular events (hazard ratio [HR], 1.13), microvascular events (HR, 1.28), and death (HR, 1.15). Age or age at diagnosis was only associated with the risk of macrovascular events (HR, 1.33) and death (HR, 1.56). There was no association found between diabetes duration, age, and the risk of macrovascular events or death (both P > 0.4). Diabetes duration, age, and the risk of microvascular events were significantly associated (P = 0.002), with the greatest impact of increasing diabetes duration seen at younger rather than older age.

"In patients with type 2 diabetes, age or age at diagnosis and diabetes duration are independently associated with macrovascular events and death, whereas only diabetes duration is independently associated with microvascular events, and this effect is greater in the youngest patients," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies, including Servier, which partially funded the study.